Thursday, February 27, 2025

It is the 27th of February 2025. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

In 1862, Emily Malbone Morgan was born to Emily and Henry Morgan- a well-to-do family in New England descended from early colonists. She was the last of 5 and the only daughter- her brothers would become respected as a medical doctor, a popular Episcopalian rector, and a banker. The boys took after their father- Henry Sr, a brusque and serious man who spoke, according to one biographer, like an “intermittent geyser.”

But young Emily was reared by her mother, a pious Episcopalian who served as Emily’s tutor and travel guide throughout Europe. She was affected by her mother's connections to the Oxford movement (these are the Anglo-Catholics that included John Henry Newman) amidst the rise of the Anglican religious orders (that is, Monks, Nuns, and Tertiaries). Elizabeth I had dissolved the orders in the wake of Mary's reign, and it took almost 300 years for them to return. These new societies, such as the Sisterhood of the Holy Cross founded in 1845, would set a possible template for women such as Emily who were looking for religious vocations.  

But she sat uneasy with her wealth and standing in society- she considered that she would likely become a “hypocrite or an atheist.” She would begin to find some direction by reading the 1882 novel “All Sorts and Conditions of Men” by Walter Besant- his vision of the poor inspired her, and she began to look for ways of being of service. She would begin a reading club with likeminded women and attempt to serve groups like the United Workers made up of the lower classes.

But she was struck the most by an old acquaintance, Adelyn Howard. The two had grown up in New England as playmates, but Adelyn came down with a hip condition that would leave her homebound. For all her lofty plans, the loneliness of her friend struck her as the most important, practical thing she and her friends could tend to. Emily and her friend Harriet Hastings would make their way to Adelyn to pray with her and to take her outside and into nature.

This is the “origin story” for founding the “Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross” in 1884. It was called such as it was founded on May 3rd (the feast of the invention, or finding, of the Cross), and they were notably a society of “companions,” not Sisters. While the Anglican/Episcopalian churches had their new orders, this would not be a group that would adhere to any particular rule (they have been formed more by an Intercession Paper and collection of daily prayers).

 But inspired by Adelyn and others who were burdened by physical ailment or crushed under the industrial working conditions of the age- the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross would focus on creating clubs and houses to serve as vacation and renewal homes in nature for those “tired women, girls, and children”.

Emily Malbone Morgan believed it was her Christian vocation to “make tired people rested and happy.” It was remarkably simple, but her family and those in her immediate circles couldn’t understand the ministry. She took none of her family's wealth to create these homes but instead gathered donations from her growing society, and she herself wrote novels and books for which the proceeds would fund the homes- one of these was “Adelyn’s Story” after her friend whose maladies occasioned the creation of one of these homes: Adelynrood in Byfield Massachusetts. That retreat and conference center is still running over 100 years later.

The Society of Companions of the Holy Cross would grow to some 100 chapters in a decade, and today, it is an international society open to all women who are called to a life of prayer, thanksgiving, and simplicity. Notable members include Vida Scudder- of the Scudder missionary family (and Vida was an author herself who helped edit Emily’s biography) and Madeline L’Engle of “Wrinkle in Time” fame.

As a society it has not only served the needs of those less fortunate but also as an outlet for those called to ministry but without, for various reasons, access to religious vocations. Not being an official “order” they have been able to minister and offer vocations to a broad range of Christian women looking to serve.

Morgan never married; she herself was chronically ill, but through her hospitality and seeking to make “tired people rested and happy,” she found her own vocation and one for many others. Emily Malborn Morgan would die on this, the 27th of February in 1937, born in 1862 she was 74 years old.

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and Acts 3 after Peter heals a lame beggar:

11 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 27th of February 2025, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who does not appreciate calling the beggar names. He is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by your daily intermittent geyser. I’m Dan van Voorhis. 

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.